Author Topic: One-on-One with Atty. Doni Piquero: Bohol Environmentalist  (Read 2250 times)

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One-on-One with Atty. Doni Piquero: Bohol Environmentalist
« on: July 15, 2007, 10:21:48 PM »
By Loy M. Palapos
Columnist, Bohol Sunday Post

Up-side down, and all angles considered, he is not the fabled dominant Alpha-Male, nor the braggart who, although sounding pompous and acting "ballistic" is, in reality, without balls. The silent water running deep; the unassuming exponent of coolness amidst a high-strung throng; the trustful because he can be trusted, not just during halcyon days.

Atty. Doni Donguines Piquero has a Boholano for a father and an Ilongga for a mother, but he was born and reared in Malaybalay, Bukidnon. After his secondary studies, he enrolled at the Divine Word College (Holy Name University) where he finished Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. His original ambition was to be a Doctor, and save lives; but financial constraints blocked his way to realize that goal.

He taught at Divine Word College after graduation; at the same time he knew that he can still go higher if he tried hard enough. Thus, his decision to take Law, also at DWC. After passing the Bar, he became an Associate Partner of the Marapao Law Office, and would have built his way up for a fruitful private practice. Until he learned of his friend, Atty. Raul Barbarona, vacating his position at ELAC (Environmental Legal Action Center) when the latter was elected Vice Mayor of Loon. He was already an ELAC volunteer at that time; therefore, heading ELAC came as a natural recourse. A job he was most dedicated to.

Until came the offer as City Legal Officer, which he earned solely because of pure merits. Since then, he has his hands full, a state which the less-industrious would have considered cumbersome. But not for Atty. Doni D. Piquero (DDP) who maintains the eight-to-five regular office schedule, and be a college instructor in the evening.

LMP: What prompted you to take up Law as a course?

DDP: When I was in elementary, I wanted to be a Doctor of Medicine, but because my parents could not afford it, so my next alternative was to take up Law. After I graduated from College as a Philosophy major, I started teaching in Divine Word College. At the same time I took up Law, and passed the Bar, after which I was taken in at the Marapao Law Office. Manning ELAC came next.

LMP: Was it a job that you sought after, or was it offered to you?

DDP: At that time in 1998, I was an Associate of Atty. Marapao. The ELAC Area Coordinator then was Atty. Barbarona, who ran as Vice-Mayor of Loon and won. I was already a volunteer of ELAC at that time. We had a meeting; he asked me if I was interested to take over. I said if I could continue my private practice I would be willing to accept the job.

LMP: In a nutshell what is ELAC all about?

DDP: ELAC is an environmental non-government organization, it helps the community being confronted with environmental issues. We assist with respect to legal matters

LMP: Is this an international organization?

DDP: Local organization.

LMP: How about the funding?

DDP: We have funds coming from outside, the foreign funds. Although there are also funds coming within the Philippines.

LMP: This job as City Legal Officer, how did you come to get that position?

DDP: It was offered by the Honorable City Mayor, because we already had met before when I was with ELAC. I think that he was convinced of my performance, so he asked that if I was willing to apply for City Legal Officer.

LMP: How long have you been in that office so far?

DDP: I'll be one year this month.

LMP: In that length of time, what were some of the cases or issues that you handled? Just concentrate on the major ones.

DDP: The case that we filed against Bohol Water Utilities and NWRB. That's the petition for the issuance of TRO opposing the decision of NWRB approving the increase of water rate.

LMP: When was that?

DDP: I think it was filed during the first term of the Mayor. We were able to successfully get the 72-hour TRO and until now the increase is not being implemented yet.

LMP: You would like to consider that a success?

DDP: As far as that move is concerned we were successful, because we were able to get the TRO, and the increase is not being implemented right away. I am convinced that it should be stopped. Considering that I believe that BWUI has gained enough profit.

LMP: What do you see about the future of this case?

DBP: I cannot exactly say that we will be wining this case. There are several legal issues that are to be solved at the NWRB (National Water Resources Board).

LMP: Is that the office that makes the decision?

DDP: Yes.

LMP: But can this not be appealed to the Supreme Court?

DDP: That's one of the legal issues, because under the NWRB rules the decision is appealable to RTC. They said that when DP129 was passed the appeal for the case decided by administrative agency should be with the Court of Appeals, but NWRB said it should be at RTC.

LMP: Is that also your line of thinking?

DDP: No. There is a pending motion to dismiss the case filed by the Council for BWUI. RTC has no jurisdiction over the case.

LMP: How about light? Is there a case involving that particular agency?

DDP: For Bohol Light Company, Inc., there is a pending case in the Energy Regulatory Commission, wherein the City Mayor is also a party, but the major parties are the Provincial Government and Bohol Light Company, Inc., but considering that the majority of the consumers are from Tagbilaran City, the City Mayor is directly involved for the welfare of his constituents.

LMP: What is the status of the case now?

DDP: The provincial Government which is under the administration of Governor Aumentado, opposed the application of Bohol Light Company, Inc., for the issuance of certificate of public conveyance. Because the one that was given a certificate of public conveyance was the Provincial Public Utility Development Office and they're saying that the Provincial Government opposed it because, accordingly, there was an issue wherein the ownership of majority of the shares of that particular public utility is now under Bohol Light Company, Inc.

LMP: What else?

DDP: Recently, our City Mayor filed, together with several petitioners, a TRO, against the Department of Energy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and NorAsian Company opposing the plan of oil exploration within Bohol.

LMP: Is it really your conviction that the oil exploration should be opposed?
DDP: I would think so, because even if I'm not a City Legal Officer I would be the Council for the group.

LMP: Everybody knows that the Cebu side has been on with it, without much objection. Does it mean that the Cebu people think differently compared to the Boholanos?

DDP: Cebu Province and its officials have their own agenda. As far as our province is concerned, that our mission, vision, goal for our province is to make it a prime eco-cultural tourist destination. I guess the Cebu people did not oppose it, because their mission for Cebu is to make it an industrialized province. We believe that our province would be better off as an eco-cultural tourist destination.

LMP: We are only speaking about a portion of Bohol, because I understand that the Governor and the Congressman are for it. Do you believe this is a big barrier as far as your intensions are concerned?

DDP: That's right. We think that they play a major role in this particular issue and that the success of our struggle to stop it depends also on how they would go about the issue. But it would appear now that they are for oil exploration, and eventually for the oil extraction. Because there was a survey that was conducted, despite the agreement that no oil exploration survey should be done until some things are cleared.

LMP: Who were those people who made the agreement?

DDP: There was an agreement during the meeting of the Governor in the presence of under secretary of POEA, NorAsian Chief Executive Officer, some Local Executives of different LGUs including Tagbilaran City, some leaders of some organization, and representatives of non-government organizations. During that meeting it was agreed that no oil exploration shall be conducted within Bohol waters until the issues, namely, compensations, environmental protection among others, are resolved.

LMP: But then, what happened was there was a survey?

DDP: Yes.

LMP: So, who will answer for that?

DDP: That's the problem. I think NorAsian Company and POEA will answer for the damages.

LMP: If that is a breach of agreement, can a case be filed along that line?

DDP: We are planning to file a case of damages against NorAsian Company and all parties who are responsible for these damages. Because of that survey several fisher folks have been deprived of their livelihood.

LMP: If there is a case filed, do you believe that the Governor and Congressman will be also for it?

DBP: We already filed a case. Nobody from the Office of the Governor and from the Office of the Congressman for the Third District of Bohol joined in our petition.

LMP: So they made it clear they are not for that petition even if there was a bridge of agreement?

DBP: I think so.

LMP: I read from the papers that the NorAsian boat is not here anymore and that the survey is being stopped because it is finished. Which do you believe now?

DBP: I would like to believe that it is finished. During the first meeting that we had the COO (Chief Operations Officer) of NOR-Asia who used to be connected with NOC said that in 1980 they already conducted a two-day survey in this area. So, if that is the case what they have conducted last week was a 3-day survey as a final phase.

LMP: I've heard that your group, and even the papers, say it is injurious to our environment. What is that kind of injury that you are talking about?

DDP: First, it will cause damage to marine mammals because they are very sensitive to sounds.

LMP: When you say mammals, what in particular?

DBP: Dolphins and whales

LMP: Does it mean to say it does not affect the other smaller fishes?

DBP: Only mammals, but small fishes would be traumatized by the sound generated. During the survey nobody was allowed to fish. The fisher folks were affected.

LMP: There was a mention that one of the provisions of the agreement was compensation for the fisher folks. Have they been compensated?

DDP: There was a proposal that they will be compensated P 111.00 a day per fisher folk. But that issue has not been settled yet.

LMP: You are fighting against a Goliath. There is the biggest possibility that this has a sanction from the higher offices. Do you believe that you will succeed considering the power these people hold?

DDP: We cannot discount that fact, although I'm a Lawyer, an officer of the court, I still believe in our justice system.

LMP: Is there oil or not?

DDP: That we don't know.

LMP: Would that still be a long process?

DDP: Yes.

LMP: There has been already mention about negative effects of the survey. What kind of effects are we expected, especially to our environment, if oil exists?

DDP: One of the possible scenarios that we can expect is, for example, in case of an accident, there will be an oil spill that will destroy the marine environment.

LMP: If you were to address the citizens of Bohol now, what will you say regarding the subject?

DDP: We are a province with many natural resources given to us by God. For any act that would destroy these resources, it will be upon us to oppose it and to defend the environment that we have.

Right from his student days, his heart has always been partial for the welfare of the masses. His job at City Hall is a real blessing along this line, for he is accorded ample opportunities to serve the people commensurate to his educational expertise. The two major cases, as subjects for this interview, bring to mind the truism that, despite the proliferation of bad elements in society, there are still advocates of fairness willing to take the risks for the sake of the citizenry in general.

The oil exploration that has recently been a hot issue, and the on-going case with Salcon's BWUI, are just two of Atty. Piquero's concerns. The former most possibly already has the blessing of the powers-that-be, including the provincial hierarchy, which may be akin to the scene with a dog barking at the moon. The latter is a fight versus a colossal figure in the corporate world.

Yet, Atty. Doni Piquero, in his search for fairness and his unbridled affection for the Boholanos, is willing to take the risks in his pursuit for justice.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=2706.0
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mikeygatal

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Re: One-on-One with Atty. Doni Piquero: Bohol Environmentalist
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2007, 02:49:15 PM »
naa moy picture ni doni piquero

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=2706.0

Macky Ferniz

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Re: One-on-One with Atty. Doni Piquero: Bohol Environmentalist
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2007, 03:30:32 PM »
I am thankful to God, that we have Atty. Doni Piquero... I am praying for his success and for the Boholanos.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=2706.0

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Re: One-on-One with Atty. Doni Piquero: Bohol Environmentalist
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2007, 03:55:33 PM »
This is just to notify those who've read the interview that in place of the "POEA," in the paragraphs regarding the oil exploration, one should read instead the "DOE" or Department of Energy.

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